Parcel mafia control business at Central, Egmore, pocket Rs 3 lakh a day
TNN | Dec 3, 2018, 05.20 AM IST
CHENNAI: As a passenger, you can book a reserved ticket at any counter in Chennai Central without help from a tout or an agent. But this is almost impossible if you want to book a parcel or luggage. The business, which handles around 11,000 tonnes every month and earns Southern Railway Rs 60 crore yearly from Chennai division itself, is controlled by a section of railway employees and unauthorized agents with basic technology being made inoperable right under the nose of officials sitting in the headquarters next door.
Touts decide how much material is loaded on the trains in violation of rules, which parcel is dispatched, what bribes are to be paid and which employees should be posted in the office. Even if irregularities are found, the system slows the investigation down to ensure that the guilty go scot free.
In light of the parcel scam uncovered at Central a fortnight ago, TOI spoke to several serving and retired officials, railway employees and their union members and uncovered at least two different modus operandi of scams in parcel booking at Chennai Central and Egmore. The parcel mafia make at least Rs 3 lakh every day from bribes, a top union leader said.
“It’s scam-riddled, it’s in a huge mess,” said another top union leader, who started off as a parcel porter at Central a few decades ago.
The Chennai Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Naveen Gulati said a detailed probe was underway in the various irregularities at the parcel office.
Apart from parcels going missing or not being delivered on time, there has been evidence of contraband like gutka being transported. A fortnight ago, meat mis-declared as fish landed at Egmore. Forest department officials suspect illegal produce from forests is also being smuggled out as the railway parcel system is considered safe as compared to road and air which have better checks. At Central and Egmore, parcel offices are dingy with narrow entry and exits, without CCTV coverage and non-functioning gadgets to check overloading.
Railway has a provision to lease 30% of parcel coaches to private agencies, but tenders for many trains get no bids. “It is an organised cartel to ensure the business remains with railway system so that the mafia control it,” said a senior official.
Former chief operations manager (COM) of Southern Railway, Abraham Jacob, said systems were in place to ensure a foolproof system. “But they are not implemented properly. Most commercial department heads are not aware of the business. Southern Railway Mazdoor Union (SRMU) rules the parcel offices,” he said.
R Elangovan, vice-president of Dakshin Railway Employees Union (DREU), who retired after 33 years in the commercial department, said periodic transfers of staff at parcel offices, a sensitive post, were not being carried out. “There are people who have worked in the office for 20 to 25 years. Officers who tried to transfer them were transferred out,” he said.
TNN | Dec 3, 2018, 05.20 AM IST
CHENNAI: As a passenger, you can book a reserved ticket at any counter in Chennai Central without help from a tout or an agent. But this is almost impossible if you want to book a parcel or luggage. The business, which handles around 11,000 tonnes every month and earns Southern Railway Rs 60 crore yearly from Chennai division itself, is controlled by a section of railway employees and unauthorized agents with basic technology being made inoperable right under the nose of officials sitting in the headquarters next door.Touts decide how much material is loaded on the trains in violation of rules, which parcel is dispatched, what bribes are to be paid and which employees should be posted in the office. Even if irregularities are found, the system slows the investigation down to ensure that the guilty go scot free.
In light of the parcel scam uncovered at Central a fortnight ago, TOI spoke to several serving and retired officials, railway employees and their union members and uncovered at least two different modus operandi of scams in parcel booking at Chennai Central and Egmore. The parcel mafia make at least Rs 3 lakh every day from bribes, a top union leader said.
“It’s scam-riddled, it’s in a huge mess,” said another top union leader, who started off as a parcel porter at Central a few decades ago.
The Chennai Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Naveen Gulati said a detailed probe was underway in the various irregularities at the parcel office.
Apart from parcels going missing or not being delivered on time, there has been evidence of contraband like gutka being transported. A fortnight ago, meat mis-declared as fish landed at Egmore. Forest department officials suspect illegal produce from forests is also being smuggled out as the railway parcel system is considered safe as compared to road and air which have better checks. At Central and Egmore, parcel offices are dingy with narrow entry and exits, without CCTV coverage and non-functioning gadgets to check overloading.
Railway has a provision to lease 30% of parcel coaches to private agencies, but tenders for many trains get no bids. “It is an organised cartel to ensure the business remains with railway system so that the mafia control it,” said a senior official.
Former chief operations manager (COM) of Southern Railway, Abraham Jacob, said systems were in place to ensure a foolproof system. “But they are not implemented properly. Most commercial department heads are not aware of the business. Southern Railway Mazdoor Union (SRMU) rules the parcel offices,” he said.
R Elangovan, vice-president of Dakshin Railway Employees Union (DREU), who retired after 33 years in the commercial department, said periodic transfers of staff at parcel offices, a sensitive post, were not being carried out. “There are people who have worked in the office for 20 to 25 years. Officers who tried to transfer them were transferred out,” he said.
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